Audible indicator for electric-light or electric-motor circuits.



No. 769,540. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. J. P. GILLETTE. AUDIBLE INDICATOR FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT OR ELECTRIC MOTOR CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

HM mm I l0 ll 7 2/ 0 24! O 9 23 z /s y, 21 1 7 7 l5 l0 UNITED STATES Patented September 6, 1904.

PATENT QEETCE.

AUDIBLE INDICATOR FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHT R ELECTRIC-MOTOR CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,540, dated September 6, 1904.

Application filed December 22,1903. Serial No. 186,151. (No model.)

To (all whom it 71mg concern.-

Be it known that I, JosEPH P. GILLETTE, of New London, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Audible Indicators for Electric-Light or Electric-Motor (lircuits; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the numerals of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a view in side elevation of one form which my improved audible indicator may assume; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a view of the indicator in vertical central section as constructed for use with alternating currents; Fig. 4:, a plan view of the device with its cover removed and also showing it as constructed for use with alternating currents; Fig. 5, a view in vertical central section of one of the modified forms which my improved audible indicator may assume when designed for use in a continuous current; Fig. 6, a plan view thereof with the cover removed.

My invention relates to an improvement in audible indicators for electric-light or electric-motor currents, the object being to produce a simple. compact, convenient, and effective device for calling attention to currents used only a portion of the time and reminding the user to shut them off, such as the currents ot' incandescent lamps located in cellars or other retired places, the currents of mo tors not used all of the time, and so on, the device being adapted to be connected in series in such circuits.

\Yit-h these ends in view my invention consists in an audible indicator having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

As shown in Figs. 1 to I, inclusive, of the drawings, my invention is embodied in an audible indicator to be used in an alternating electric current. It has a cup-like porcelain receptacle or shell 1, having a base 2 furnished with perforated lugs or ears 3 to receive the fastening-screws, and a porcelain cover a, having a centrally-arranged group of holes 5 for the escape of the sound. The said shell is formed at opposite points near its base with oppositely-located lateral openings or holes 6 6, adapting the device to be used' for open or outside work, as well as for concealed work, as will be described later on. Upon the top of the shell I place a thin metal diaphragm 7, held in place by a gasket 8, of rubber or equivalent material, upon which the cover at rests, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. This diaphragm T is vibrated so as to produce what may be described as a humming noise by means of a low-resistance magn ct 2), through which the alternating current reverses and which is rapidly magnetized and demagnetized thereby, with the effect of attracting and releasing the diaphragm with a rapidity cor-' responding to the reversals of the alternating current, whereby the diaphragm is vibrated so rapidly as to make a humming noise or signal. The said magnet is located within the shell 1, in which it is supported upon a flat bowed spring 10, situated in the bottom of the shell,which is formed with shallow recesses 11 11 for the reception of the ends of the spring, which is thus prevented from rotating. The core 8) of the magnet is formed at its lower end with a square shoulder 9", which enters a square hole 10, formed in the spring, which thus prevents the magnet from turning. An adjusting screw 12, entered into the shell through a central recess 13 in its bottom, enters the said core 9 and is employed for adjusting the magnet toward or away from the diaphragm 7, as required, to vary the volume of the sound emitted and to meet the conditions arising from the use of different numbers of lamps in the circuit containing the device. For securing the cover in place I employ two ties 1st, having their ends bent at a right angle and secured to the bottom of the shell by means of screws 15. The upper ends of these ties enter grooves 16 16, formed in the upper edge of the shell, and receive screws 1T 17 passing through the cover.

The device provided with two bindingposts, which are connected in the usual way with the magnet 9, and as the shell is adaptct by its construction to be used either for open or outside work or concealed or inside work two different kinds of binding-posts are provided. In the drawings I have shown one binding-post of each kind; but it will be understood that in practice a pair of one kind or the other will be used. The binding-post 18, which is the kind provided for outside work, carries at its outer end a binding-screw 19, to which one of the circuit-wires is secured. Its fellow (not shown) has the other wire attached to it. This post 18 has an arm extending through the opening 6 in the shell, to which the post is secured by screws 20 passing upward through the bottom thereof. This form of postis best shown in Fig. 5,which is asection taken at a right angle to the section of Fig. 3. For concealed work I employ two bindingposts like the post 21, which is furnished with a hub 22, carrying a screw 23, which holds the concealed circuit-wire entered from the back of the shell into the hub. These screws 23 are operated by a screw-driver inserted through the lateral openings 6. A better View of this binding-post 21 is shown in Fig. 5. It will thus be seen that Without modifying the device in itself in any way, particularly the shell, it may be used for outside work or concealed work by simply substituting one kind of binding-post for the other.

The modified form of my device (shown by Figs 5. and 6 of the drawings) is constructed with particular reference to continuous as distinguished from alternating currents. In its general construction the device is like that already described; but in place of the diaphragm 7 I employ a vibrating arm 24, having at its end a contact-point 24 and forming a part of a strip 25, the 'lower end of which is clamped under one of the binding-posts. This vibrating arm coacts with a fixed arm 26, carrying a contact-point 26 and forming a part of a strip 27, clamped under the other binding-post. Under this construction the strip 25 and the strip 27, together with the vibrating armature 24, constitute a shunt located between the two binding-posts and providing for the passage of the current around the magnet, so that in the use of this form of the device the current is never broken, as it passes either through the magnet itself or through the shunt. Normally the current between the vibrating arm 24 and the fixed arm 26 is broken. When, however, the current is passed through the magnet 9 the same is energized, and the vibrating arm 24 is attracted and its contact-point 24 brought intoengagement with the contact-point 26 of the fixed arm 26, whereby a shorter circuit around the magnet is established between the two binding-posts. The current is then shunted through the shorter circuit and the magnet momentarily demagnetized, allowing the arm 24 to spring away from the arm 26, whereby the shunted circuit is broken and the current goes through the magnet again with the repetition of the operation described. This operation being rapidly repeated, the action of the vibrating arm produces what I may describe as a humming noise, constituting an audible signal. In the form of the device shown by Figs. 5 and 6 it is unnecessary to use the rubber gasket 8.

My improved audible indicator is connected in series in incandescent, electric-light, electric-motor, or other circuits and provides effective means for indicating that the current is on, especially in situations where the current is not used all of the time. Thus one of my indicators placed in the circuit of an electric lamp located in a cellar and designed to be used only a part of the time would attract the attention of the user of the lamp and remind him to turn off the current on returning from the cellar. This illustration will sufficiently suggest the use of the device.

In view of the modification shown and described and of others which may obviously be made I would have'it understood that I do not limit myself to the construction herein set forth, but hold myself at liberty to make such departures therefrom as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described .my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an audible indicator for connection in series in. electric-light or electric-motor circuits, the combination with a shell having two oppositely-arranged lateral openings located near its base, of a cover for the said shell, a magnet located in the shell, a vibrator coact ing with the magnet to produce an audible signal, and electric connections leading into and out of the shell through the said lateral openings therein.

2. In an audible indicator for connection in series in electric-light or electric-motor circuits, the combination with a shell, of a cover therefor, ties secured to the bottom of the shell and extending upward therein for the attachment of the said cover thereto, a magnet located within the shell, a vibrator coacting with the magnet to produce an audible signal, and connections to and from the magnet leading into and out of the shell.

3. In an audible indicator for connection in series with electric-light or electric-motor circuits the combination with a shell having lateral openings, of a cover for the shell, a magnet located in the shell, a vibrator coacting with the magnet to produce an audible signal, a magnet-supporting spring located in the bottom of the shell, means located in the bottom of the shell for adjusting the magnet with respect to the vibrator against the tension of the said spring, and connections to and from the nlilaglnet through the said lateral opening in the s e 4. In an audible indicator for connection in series in electric-light or electric-motor circuits, the combination with a magnet, of a re- In testimony whereof I have Signed this ceptncle therefor, a shunt around the magnet specification in the presence of two subscr1b- 10 including a vibrator coacting with the magnet ing witnesses.

to produce an audible signal, and electric con- 1 T i N v nections leading into and out of the receptacle, Jobhl II LIILLL'L whereby the current passes either directly Vitnesses:

through the magnet or through the shunt, CLARA L. \Vum),

without being broken. (mouse 1). SEYMOUR. 

